Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This battle was part of the larger conflict known as the Second French Intervention in Mexico.

Though the French army was better equipped and more numerous, Mexican forces, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, managed to defeat them near the city of Puebla. The victory was a significant morale boost for Mexico, even though France eventually occupied the country for a few years afterward.

It’s not Mexico’s Independence Day, that’s September 16. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is mainly celebrated in the state of Puebla, while in the U.S., it’s more widely recognized as a celebration of Mexican-American culture and heritage.